Nearly 60 percent of AFSCME members are women; and

WHEREAS:

            American families depend on women’s incomes now more than ever. Nearly half of all families include a mother who is either the sole or primary earner for her family; and

WHEREAS:

            Many women are stuck in low wage jobs that simply do not pay enough; and 

WHEREAS:

            Women make only 77 cents for every dollar earned by men, which results in a yearly pay gap of $11,084. For African-American women and Latinas the pay gap widens. African-American women on average earn only 64 cents and Latinas on average earn only 55 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men; and

WHEREAS:

            No workers should have to choose between their health and their jobs, yet 40 million private-sector workers are not eligible for a single paid sick day, including many women; and

WHEREAS:

            Child care is a necessity that enables parents to work and support their children and to go to school to gain skills needed to improve their families’ economic circumstances. High quality child care is also important to promote children’s healthy growth and development. Yet despite the increasing need for child care, 263,000 children lost federal child care assistance between 2006 and 2012.

THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            That in order to advance the economic security of women, AFSCME supports the Women’s Economic Agenda, which includes passing legislation to increase the minimum wage to $10.10; to end gender-based wage discrimination and close the loopholes that have allowed employers to avoid responsibility for discriminatory pay, including the Paycheck Fairness Act; to require paid sick days and paid leave through the Healthy Family Act; to increase funding substantially for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, Head Start and Early Head Start to meet the needs of struggling families; and to establish universal prekindergarten for all four-year-olds.